Shopian: Sheep Husbandry department organised a daylong awareness camp for sheep breeders at Keller.
During the workshop, it was revealed that the sheep population in district Shopian has reached to 1.80 lakh. Simultaneously, the number of cross-breed sheep has risen to 1.34 lakh. The mutton production in the district has shown improvement and it has reached 12.10 kg annually.
Giving details of the performance and program of the Sheep Husbandry department, Shopian, the District Sheep Husbandry Officer Shopian said during the current financial year the wool production has reached to a maximum of 3.18 lakh kg.
He said to save the sheep population from various dreaded communicable diseases the department with the efforts of its field machinery managed to vaccinate the 1.90 lakh sheep besides 3.84 lakh special dozings were provided to prevent spreading of liver fluke, foot and mouth, foot rot diseases and other infectious diseases.
The Sheep Husbandry Officer said under various sponsored schemes, the department provided support and financial assistance to 27 beneficiaries for establishing their micro income generating units.
He said to give vast exposures to the sheep rearing and its production in the district, the department will provide 634 special quality sheep to the farmers for cross breeding.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Rafiq said sheep rearing has the potential not only to provide alternate employment but it has the capacity and quality to divert the attention of market.
He stressed upon the officers of the department to organise such kind of awareness camps at Tehsil and Block levels also so that more and more sheep breeders have better awareness about the ongoing schemes.
He said to boost the fodder production in the district; the department of Sheep Husbandry under special pasture development program is going to introduce high yielding/red clover fodder seed. He said sheep breeding is a profitable venture and needs only to be tapped and exploited in the interest of needy farmers.
